New Hair Era | Same Old Racism When I first cut out my perm in the 1990s I had no reason to believe that I was going to live long enough to see a natural Black hair movement. Nobody, and I mean nobody at my predominantly White Penn State University campus was wearing natural hairstyles then and I remember feeling very alone. A lot of my friends and advisors would ask me … [Read more...]
#BlackKidsMatter: A Talk on Race, Identity & the Impact on Black Kids
This Saturday, June 13, 2015 I will be speaking to the Parents Group of the Adelaide Sanford Institute about the ways that colorism, hair and identity impact the academic and social development of Black children. I will spend some time discussing the role that parents play in preparing our kids to overcome these issues and introduce strategies for building esteem and … [Read more...]
When Your Image Is a Symbol of Black Self Hatred
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After an otherwise dynamic weekend where I spoke at the Brown University “Black Hair in White Spaces” event (write up, pics and video coming soon!) and helped facilitate the first “All Sisters Evolving Together ASOMGirls Program Mentoring Day” (yes, this write up is coming too!), I was in my Black Girl Element and was feeling empowered and hopeful about my … [Read more...]
Ew. Your Baby’s Hair Is Turning.
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You may have heard comments like these before: Dang. Your baby used to have such pretty hair. What happened? Oh her hair is so cute! Except for this nappy section right here… That baby is so pretty! You almost don’t even notice her hair… These are the type of comments that can make any new parent want to scream. These are also the type of comments that people seem to … [Read more...]
Black Parents: Raising Black Kids
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To all the parents raising Black kids - this one is for you. The “Raising Confident Kinky/Coily/Curly Haired Black Kids” event at the end of last year was a huge success—and we have YOU to thank for that. The community really came out to support and learn why we need to protect our children’s self esteem. One thing I realized then and in the weeks that followed was … [Read more...]